WEBVTT WHEN A LOST HIKER CALLS FOR HELP... WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES HAS LEARNED THAT YOU... FOOT THE BILL. JUST LAST MONTH, NEARLY 50 EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WERE CALLED TO SEARCH FOR A MISSING HIKER IN NORTHERN GREENVILLE COUNTY... IN FRIGID TEMPERATURES. THE SEARCH... TOOK HOURS. 00.06 ring ring... ON A COLD JANUARY MORNING... font 00.11 greenville county 911 what's the address of the emergency...? A 44 YEAR OLD WOMAN CALLS FOR HELP... FONT CLIP 2 10.51 i took a nature hike earlier and got lost. 10.58 what time? i don't know? was it 7 o clock, 8 o clock? i don't know... I don't know... 11:07 SHE IS DISORIENTED... AND ALONE. font CLIP 1 05.15 i'm freezing, i'm cold chills, my toes are numb and i ..... breathing 22 ok maam... do you feel clammy? huh... i don't know... ok maam i need you to calm down we're getting help on the way to you. how close are you to the roadway? i'm scared, i don't know. yes maam i understand you're scared but we're getting help 05.39 use video "missing Hiker" 1/22/14 CREWS SEARCHED FROM THE GROUND... AND THE AIR... NEAR CALLAHAN MOUNTAIN ROAD IN NORTHERN GREENVILLE COUNTY. IT TOOK ABOUT 5 HOURS... TO FIND THE HIKER. 05.44 we had a helicopter involved in the search as well as personnel and vehicles. those costs all add up and it's not something that's inexpensive.52 font BOB STAPLES IS CHIEF OF THE GLASSY MOUNTAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE BROKE DOWN THE NUMBERS FOR WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES... AND TOLD US... THE SEARCH COST HIS DEPARTMENT ALONE... 968 DOLLARS. ... FOR THE 18 MEMBERS OF HIS DEPARTMENT ON SCENE... MANY OF THEM VOLUNTEERS. AND... THE COST OF GIVING THEM FOOD AND WATER. NEARLY 30 OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONDERS...INCLUDING DEPUTIES FROM THE GREENVILLE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WERE THERE TOO. THEY WERE UNABLE TO TELL WYFFNEWS 4 INVESTIGATES HOW MUCH THIS SEARCH COST THEIR AGENCIES. 24.12 who ends up paying for these searches? mainly you, the taxpayer. the chief of the glassy mountain fire department and the greenville county sheriff's office both tell wyff news 4 investigates that when a search is over a hiker isn't-- say-- given a bill. so each individual agency typically ends up eating the cost 24.29 09.23 it probably would be good if there was a mechanism to recoup the costs because i'm sure the citizens pay for our services and have us here to protect their homes and prevent medical emergencies don't want us, don't want to pay for those costs for additional... for things that could have been preventable 09.37 CHIEF STAPLES SAYS AGENCIES DO BUDGET FOR EMERGENCY CALLS... AND HIS FIRE DEPARTMENT LIKELY HAD ONE OF THE LOWER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SEARCH... SINCE THEY RELY SO HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEERS. BUT HE SAYS PEOPLE WHO HIKE SAFELY... 06.41 make sure someone knows where you're going, they have an idea of when you're gonna be back, and be prepared 46 CAN PREVENT MORE SCENES... AND CALLS... LIKE THIS: font 03.30 we're trying to find you, we're trying to get some help to you... 03.32 A HIKER CAN BE BILLED IF THEY NEED TO BE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, AN AMBULANCE RIDE CAN COST AS MUCH AS 600 DOLLARS... BUT, HOW MUCH A PERSON IS ACTUALLY BILLED... DEPENDS ON THEIR INSURANCE PROVIDER. WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES DID TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE HIKER WHOSE VOICE YOU HEARD ON THAT 911 CALL.. BUT